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Teen Treatment Program

Help for Teens in Trouble

As anyone who has been there knows, watching talented, promising kids lose
their way to drug and alcohol abuse is heartbreaking. Torrance Memorial
Medical Center offers a program that can help -- the Thelma McMillen Teen
Outpatient Program.

For over 23 years, Thelma McMillen Center has been successfully treating
adolescents suffering from alcohol abuse, substance abuse, or addiction.
Through the Outpatient Program, teens make lasting changes in the their
own lives and the lives of their loved ones. The Center, which is housed
in a 10,000 square-foot, free-standing
facility, is dedicated to offering a full array of programs, from First Step, our
early prevention services and education, to state-of-the-art outpatient treatment. This is where the devastating
pattern of addiction ends.

Why Outpatient Treatment?

Outpatient treatment is designed for adolescents, ages 13-18, and their
families, whose goal it is to allow the teen to stay in school and become
sober within their community. It is the preferred treatment of choice
in cases where the adolescent needs an intensive and structured program
for recovery, but not inpatient care. Outpatient treatment has long been
recognized as an effective method for treating addiction because teens
can get clean and sober in THEIR real world. The program is recognized
for its success and is covered by most insurance plans.

Consultation

The road to recovery begins with the first step – recognizing that
there is a problem. At this crucial point, the Center provides comprehensive
consultation, at no charge, to determine if the teen is appropriate for
outpatient care.

Individualized, Multi-Phased Treatment

Those individuals who are appropriate for outpatient treatment find assistance
through a six month,
three-stage outpatient program that addresses the needs of both substance abusing and dependent individuals
and their families.

There is no question that a strong support system is vital to recovery
from substance abuse problems. This can be particularly true of adolescents
struggling with peer pressure to use drugs and alcohol. The Thelma McMillen
Teen Outpatient Program provides a wide variety of support and therapy
options, including teen group therapy, parent support groups, teen peer
support groups, and individual, family and multi-family therapy groups.

Because the Thelma McMillen Teen Outpatient Program is dedicated to healing
the mind, body, and spirit, a variety of unique resources are available
during the treatment and recovery process, including:

Music therapy

Yoga

Fitness training (in-house fitness room)

Nutritional counseling

Total health and well-being techniques focused on body awareness, stretching,
and breathing

Relationship and communications skills training

Coping skills training, including the identification of triggers and response
regulation

Access to the Center's library and reading room, which provide valuable
resources for program enrollees and their family members

Upon graduation from the program, teens have continued access to the Center's
resources and support groups, and can participate in weekly aftercare
which provides a sober support network

The Team

The
treatment team headed by Moe Gelbart, Ph.D., the Executive Director since 1991, is comprised
of expertly-trained and experienced psychologists, counselors, and support
staff whose goal it is to provide the highest level of care and confidentiality
to our clients.